Grumpy and the Beast
by MikroSouvlaki03
Summary: Beauty and the Beast!SnK. Once upon a time, there was a Beast. Once upon a time, he falls in love. [ErenxLevi, eventually], [Beauty and the Beast!Verse, AU], [Sexual Content, Foul Language, Violence, Eren being a little shit]
1. Chapter 1

**I am definiteily _not_ supposed to write another multi-chap story while I still have another on-going one. No. And yet, here I am. I don't know anymore. I just recently watched Disney's _Beauty and the Beast_(because I _love_ that movie) and thought, "_Wow, B&amp;tB!SnK would be so cool."_ yeah, and so my hand sort of _slipped_ and I ended up with this. There's supposed to be humor in it, too. I tried, at least.**

**I'm keeping this M rated, since there will surely be sexual content in the future chapters. For now, there are no warnings other than foul language. And yes, this story is all heavily based on the original movie. **

**But still, I hope you enjoy this little, uhm, crossover I guess?**

**More A/N's below.**

* * *

_Chapter 1._

Once upon a time in a faraway land, a young prince lived in a shining castle. Although he had everything his heart desired, the prince was spoiled, selfish, and unkind. But then, one winter's night, an old beggar woman came to the castle and offered him a pretty rose in return for shelter from the bitter cold. Repulsed by her haggard appearance, the prince sneered at the gift and turned the old woman away, but she warned him not to be deceived by appearances, for beauty is found within. And when he dismissed her again, the old woman's ugliness melted away to reveal a beautiful enchantress. The prince tried to apologize, but it was too late, for she had seen that there was no love in his heart, and as punishment, she transformed him into a beast, and placed a powerful spell upon the castle, and all who lived there.

Ashamed of his monstrous form, the beast concealed himself inside his castle, with a magic mirror as his only window to the outside world. The rose she had offered was truly an enchanted rose, which would bloom until his twenty-first year. If he could learn to love another, and earn love in return by the time the last petal fell, then the spell would be broken. If not, he would be doomed to remain a beast for all time.

As the years passed, he fell into despair, and lost all hope, for _who_ could ever learn to love a beast?

_..._

* * *

There, in a small little town surrounded by the beautiful green forests, people lived peacefully, happily.

As the sun rose and greeted the little village a good morning, windows flew open and doors swung wide, revealing the lively townsfolk going about their daily duties with grins on their faces, baskets full of vegetables at hand.

"What a little town," Levi, a young man with piercing eyes, sighed deeply, breathing in the morning air as he stepped out of his own house, carved wood and heavy stone ore. With a book in hand, he ventures down the small stone steps, letting his leather boots heavily press down the muddy grounds, maneuvering through cobbled paths toward said town.

Walking through the market every morning, as lively as it may be at all times, tired Levi out as everyday was the same routine, a routine he'd grown so familiar with since the day he came here to this small provincial town.

He walks by a few of his neighbors, not exactly trying to mask his own frown with a smile at all.

"Bonjour!" one of the townsfolk greets with a raise of his beret.

"Mornin'," Levi returned, not bothering to actually look at who had said it.

"Bonjour!" Another one called, and Levi repeated his greetings, already a little bit annoyed.

"Bonjour!"

"Yeah, yeah, good morning."

"Bonjo—"

"Oh, for _fuck's sake._"

What a weird town, indeed.

Finally passing by the market, he exhales loudly as the smell of fresh bread and rolls hits his nose along with the hint of vegetables and fruits. An old baker waves his hand toward Levi with a wide grin.

"Good morning, Levi! Where are you off to this early?" the old man asked, wiping his flour covered hands with a dirty towel.

Levi cringed at the view, tearing his eyes away. "The bookshop, returning a book."

"_Another _book? Why, haven't you read enough, dear son!" the man cackles, slapping his meaty knee in humor.

Levi ignores the comment with a roll of his eyes and leaves the laughing baker behind as he spotted the bookshop just up ahead. He wastes no time stepping in the little shop with a push of the heavy, wooden door. A bell atop the door rings lively as Levi lets himself in, glancing around in search for the owner who was, as usual, buried between a tall pile of dusty, old books at the corner of the shop.

"Pixis." Levi called monotonously.

"Levi!" Pixis, the bookshop owner, greeted excitedly, pushing away the pile of books to the side to step into view. He was a slender, bald old man, a bookshop keeper with a drinking problem and a very, _very_ weird moustache. But Levi wasn't here to inertly judge the man's shaving _or_ drinking habits.

"What can I do for you?" Pixis smiled, rubbing his hands together.

"Came to return this book. It was a shitty book." Levi said, extending his arm toward the other, handing the man the book he had borrowed. Pixis immediately grabbed the given book, pushing it back into one of his half-empty shelves.

"I see you liked it. Which part was the most exciting of all, hm?" after so many borrowed books, Pixis had already known which stories would interest Levi most than others.

"The action, most of all," Levi started, dark grey eyes peering through a few shelves in hopes to find another good read.

"But the romance in it was trash. Have you read it?"

Pixis chuckled, "Of course I did, otherwise I wouldn't have recommended it to you."

"The Captain was an asshole toward the Shifter." Levi immediately stated his distaste toward one of the main characters of his recent read.

"I guess it was pride," Pixis nodded, "But all went well in the end, did it not? He went back for the Shifter, didn't he?"

"All because the Shifter was a fucking brat." The bookstore owner laughed at Levi's comment, shaking his head as he strolled across the shop to his desk, pulling a drawer open to produce a silver flask, no doubt containing nothing but alcohol.

Levi notices the act and he rolls his eyes, fingers sliding down a hard cover of a book tucked neatly in the shelves.

"So early in the morning, and there's whiskey in your hands." Levi clicked his tongue, smoothing out his raven bangs over his forehead.

"I haven't had breakfast yet!" Pixis laughed, taking another long swig of his drink. "Alright. Will you be borrowing another book then?"

Levi simply nodded, still curiously eyeing around the bookshop, though nothing really struck an interest. Most books he either already read, weren't his kind of genre, or just boring.

"You haven't received anything new yet?" Levi asked.

"Not since yesterday, though most of them were romance novels." Pixis said, again drinking from the flask. "Ah but, I have one book that might interest you!"

The old man puts the half empty flask back down on his desk and scrambles toward the side of the shop, scanning through the hundreds of books tucked in the oak wooden shelves, hands searching thoroughly. Levi watched with a raised eyebrow.

"Ah! Found it!" Pixis grinned, tugging out a thin, brown colored book and handing it to the young man.

"Here, this is kind of a _prequel_ of the story you just read. It focuses more on the backround story of the Captain himself." He said with a bit of pride, as if he were the author of the very book Levi was given.

Levi studies the book in his hand, trailing a finger over the gold tinted title on it.

"Why didn't you tell me this shit even existed? It could've saved me time searching for something else to fucking read." Levi muttered, flipping the book open to idly read its summary to properly understand what the book exactly offered as reading material.

"Sorry, sorry! I just kind of remembered it right now, is all." Pixis chuckled with a shake of his head, and he notices the glint that covered Levi's eyes.

"Would you like that book then, Levi?"

"Yes. Very."

"Then it's yours!"

Levi lifted his gaze to look at the old man, "You sure?"

Pixis laughed, loud and clear, as he approached the young man and patted him heavily on his shoulder. "Of course, my friend! I know how much you like books, it wouldn't hurt to spoil you every once in a while." He winked, causing Levi to cringe, "Alright now, shoo shoo. I still haven't properly opened up my shop and more books are coming in by the evening, I'd like to sort a few things out by then!"

With a roll of his eyes, Levi waved and thanked the old man Pixis before finally stepping out of the shop, taking his time to slowly get back to his house to, well, clean probably, like he always did on a daily basis.

While walking home, Levi had already flipped through the first pages of his new book, almost immediately growing fond of it as the story goes. He ignored the glances that made his way from townsfolk, the way they whispered into each other's ear.

_Oh look, the young strange man; Levi, they call him. And his nose always stuck in a book!_ Is what most of the people would say, _What a mystery, this man_.

Levi, as always, ignored those comments. He's heard them all before, and if he didn't care back then, he didn't care right now either.

He was about to flip to a new page, but he was cut off by bumping into someone else, much to his annoyance.

"Oi, watch where you're going, dumbass." Levi growled, book almost slipping through his fingers. He looked up and—fuck, he wished he had not.

"Good morning, _Levi_." It was Reiner. Yeah, that asshole, with a broad chest and perfectly slicked back blond hair. Sharp eyes and thick shoulders. Pretty little face for an idiot, if you'd ask Levi.

"Ugh, Reiner. You look like you're about to shit in your pants."

"Charming, as always." Reiner smirked, and when Levi side stepped to walk around him, Reiner was quick enough to side step as well, keeping himself in front of Levi.

"What are you doing? Reading again?" Reiner asked with a raised eyebrow, snatching Levi's book and eyeing it with disgust.

Levi growled, "None of your fucking business. Now give back my book before I introduce your face with the sole of my shoe, antler loving fuck." But Reiner laughs loudly, stinging Levi's ears.

The blond waves an indifferent hand at the shorter man, still studying the book with curiosity.

"How can you read these?" Reiner started, "They don't even have pictures! I must say, Levi, you have to get your head out of the books and focus on more important things.. Like _me_."

Levi scowled, watching as Reiner aimlessly waved the book around, fearing he might accidentally rip a few of its pages out. He could never understand this retarded, good for nothing idiot. Sure, he's the most 'handsome'(Levi would rather puke than to say that aloud) man in town, but he knew nothing more than to run around, showing off his muscles to cheap whores.

Not to mention his cheesy way of confessing his 'love'(Ugh, Levi actually feels like puking now) to Levi a few months ago by sending roses to him with stupid letters tied around them. Out of _all_ the people in the whole town, Reiner decided to mess with Levi—the worst person he could've ever chosen to mess with, honestly.

And so, while Reiner was making an ass of himself by continually waving the book around, something in Levi snaps. And suddenly, he was nothing but a blur.

It lasted for a second, and Reiner hadn't seen it coming, that wild punch on the side of his face that may or may not have made him spit a tooth out. The book fell from his hands, but before it touched the ground, Levi had already snatched it back in mid air.

Casually, he wipes his fist, the one he used to punch, against Reiner's stupid looking red shirt, and not even a minute later, Levi walked away from the scene, leaving a dazed and confused Reiner on the ground behind him.

"Reiner, oh my God, are you okay?" Levi heard, though he didn't bother turning around. He knew it was Bertolt, Reiner's tall ass companion.

_Serves him right_, was all Levi could think, once again flipping through the pages of his book, ignoring the worried looks he got from the townsfolk around him.

**X**

Back at home, Levi releases a relieved sigh as he stepped in.

"I'm hom—" he was about to say, but a small, though messy, explosion coming from down the living room disrupts him. Levi growls, and hurriedly walks toward the commotion.

When he entered the living room he was greeted by a mess of tools scattered about the floor, dust and smoke dirtying the air and a weird looking contraption standing in the middle of the room.

"Hanji—What. The. _Fuck_." Levi said, voice alarmingly low. He watched as his _oh so dear friend_ emerge from under the machine in the middle of the room that wasn't there this morning.

Hanji grinned, tool in hand and dirty cheeks, "Ah, Levi. You're back!"

"Don't 'Ah, Levi', me. What the fuck is that _thing_?" he pointed at Hanji's machine, and the woman laughs as she stands up straight to admire her work.

"Why, it's a wood cutter!" she exclaimed as if it were obvious, and she pointed at the axe erected at the center of the machine.

"Why did I even ask. I don't care about the Hell this thing is, but why is it in my _living room_?"

"Basement's too small! And you won't let me use our garden's space because of your precious flowers."

Levi was already trembling with rage, and his hand curls into a tight fist at his side. Why must he be surrounded by idiots? Indeed, Hanji is his childhood friend, and they've been through a lot together, but sometimes she just gets on his _damn nerves._ He sometimes can't believe he let Hanji live with him in this damn provincial town.

"Damn it, Hanji! I told you to never get your shit all over my furniture!" Levi snapped, stomping through the room, resting his book on his coffee table and immediately tidying up the place, starting by collecting Hanji's tools laid around the floor.

"But I couldn't help myself! The fair's tomorrow, and I have little time to waste! I'm desperate, Levi!"

"Fuck off, four eyes. You and your little useless invention." Levi growled, neatly placing Hanji's tools back into her toolbag. He exited the room only to come back with a broom.

"Don't tell me you're going to clean _now_." Hanji complained, hands idly adjusting a few cogs in her machine.

"Yes, I am. Now get that hideous thing out of my living room so I can clean in peace."

Hanji hung her head low in defeat, mood sinking as she nodded at Levi sadly. "Fine."

She was about to carry her toolbag out of the room, but Levi stops her by curling a reassuring hand around her wrist. Annoying or not, Hanji was still Levi's friend, he couldn't see her like that.

"Oi. You'll do well tomorrow at the fair. So stop sulking already, you shit."

Hanji brightens up immediately, almost turning around to hug her friend, but Levi refused since her clothes were dirty. At least she was happy again.

**X**

Later the same day, Levi was standing outside his door, greeting Hanji and her weird ass contraption goodbye. She was about to leave for the fair, though Levi's hopes still weren't as high. However, her wood cutting machine's one of the most smartest ideas she came up with by far.

He remembered the cheese grater she created a few months ago. Not a lot of good memories with that one, Levi recalled.

"Goodbye, Hanji. And good luck." Levi said with a light nod, watching as Hanji hopped on her horse(Bean, its name was. Levi always thought it was a weird name for a horse), bouncing on its back comfortably. The wood cutter was secured in a cart carried by the horse.

"Goodbye, Levi! Take care while I'm gone, okay?" Hanji laughed, and Levi rolled his eyes. There would finally be peace and quiet while Hanji was away—of course Levi would _take care_.

**X**

Deep in the darkest hour of the night, Hanji speaks to herself as she ventures forward through the thick forest trees and bushes, her horse underneath her feeling tense with every step.

"Hmm, we should be there by now. Maybe we missed a turn?" She asked aloud, glancing around through the thick fog that picked up out of nowhere. She lifts her lantern high up as she spotted two tall, old wooden signs by her left, and she halts her horse to get a better look.

Anaheim, says one while the other read, Valencia. This peeks her interest and she looks forth to where the path splits into two. She frowned, not remembering this path at all. She's never traveled at the fair in the middle of the night, and maybe she truly missed a turn a few hours ago.

But, Hanji being Hanji, she wasn't about to admit that she was lost just yet as she stubbornly tugged on the reins, encouraging her horse to start walking once more, taking the route to the right, inertly claiming that this might be a shortcut toward her wanted location.

Oh, how wrong she was.

As they continue to travel through the dark, the temperature dropped as snow met their way and Hanji's horse grew more worried by the second, flinching at every clicking sound its poor ears captures. Hanji tries to calm the animal down, though as a swarm of bats suddenly erupt from a hollow tree, the horse panics completely, scaring Hanji as it messily ran deeper through the forest blindly.

"Woah, woah! Easy!" Hanji yelled, tugging on the reins but to no avail. Before they both knew it, Hanji's horse almost runs over the edge of a cliff, and if Hanji hadn't see it early enough, they'd be falling to their deaths. She forcefully tugs the reins.

"Holy shit!" Hanji yelped, mimicking her horse's panic as the animal finally gave a last harsh buck, sending Hanji flying to the snowy, white ground.

"Bean, what are you doing!" Hanji cried, her glasses fogging as icy breaths escaped her parted lips. Bean, out of panic, scrambled from side to side before breaking into a run, leaving his owner behind at the cliff, the wood cutting machine on the cart bouncing uncontrollably with every gallop.

"Bean, come back!" but her calls were useless, her body too tired to run after her horse.

Her desperate calls did nothing to bring her horse back, and her situation grows darker when the cry of her voice attracts the worst she could imagine; _Wolves._

Big bad wolves, a whole pack with ugly, sharp fangs and dangerous golden eyes, emerging from dark bushes, tall dead trees and angry falling snow. With a loud gulp, Hanji knew she was _fucked_.

Behind her thick glasses, her eyes trembled and her body shook as she searched for any means of escape, and Hanji gasps loudly when she spotted an available route for her to run for.

And run she did, gathering whatever strength that was left in her two shaking legs and breaking into a run she's never done before in her life, as energetic as she always was throughout her young years. She ran and ran, the wolves still coming after her with broken howls and growling barks. She dared to look back, only for a split second, and wished she had not—

For the second later, Hanji trips over a stray rock. A yelp is all Hanji makes as she found herself tumbling down a small hill. Snow made its way into her mouth, her nose, her clothes and boots. She cried out in pain as her back hit solid ground after a good roll, and her hands shook terribly when she tried to straighten herself up.

The wolves still followed behind, she had to _run._ The winds grew wilder and the snow more terrifying, Hanji noticed, as she lifts a weak arm to cover her face from the weather.

But before she did, then is where she saw it; Tall, black gates, guarding an odd looking castle with a high tower erected at its side. Her eyes widen in shock, but she had no time to waste, and she kicked her feet up for what she hoped was her last run for the day, for she had no energy left.

"Hello! Is someone there! Please help!" Hanji cried, but her voice is muffled from the winds, and her hands shake the heavy bars of the gates in desperation. The gates groaned open suddenly, shocking Hanji and causing her to fall forth and through the open gates.

The wolves were still there however, still angry and hungry, and Hanji screams, kicking the gates shut with a shaking foot.

"Stay away, monsters!" she demanded, but all seven wolves bark in unison, scaring Hanji in the process. She couldn't stay out in the cold, not with these wolves! She had to find shelter in the castle, and so she scrambled to her feet, turned on her heels and ran toward the direction of the castle, crossing the cobbled bridge hanging over a mysterious, deep ravine.

Through her panic, Hanji didn't notice how her glasses had fallen from her face, right by the entrance of the two giant gates.

**X**

"There's someone outside!" Armin hissed with an excited smile, poking a candlestick at his clock of a friend, almost burning the side of Jean's face.

"Shit, don't poke me!" Jean groaned, and he was about to scold the candle with a tiny wooden hand but a wild string of loud banging disrupts whatever Jean was about to say. Someone was banging on their doors.

From above a sleeping table, Armin's and Jean's bickering halted immediately, focusing their attention at the two, tall doors. Doors that were opened by a young woman with a fluffy ponytail.

"H-Hello?.. Hello?" called the woman as she ventured forward, the doors behind her closing with a click.

"Poor woman must've lost her way in the woods," Armin whispered closely, and Jean lightly smacked one of Armin's candlesticks.

"Shh! She might hear!"

"Who's there?!" Hanji yelped, hoping she might had imagined things as she twisted around, staring blankly at a table that held a glowing candelabra and a clock. She snatched the candle, and Armin almost flinched at the sudden act.

"Armin, noo..!" Jean was too scared to yell from where he sat motionless, he couldn't do a thing as he watched his friend being taken by this titan of a woman. He just stood there, a trembling clock, eyeing as the woman waved Armin around like he was nothing.

"I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to intrude. But I lost my horse, and I need a place to stay for the night. Please, help me!" Hanji cried, her eyes squinting in the dark to see, and it was worse without her glasses.

Armin couldn't help it; He giggled. "Of course, miss, you are welcome here." He said, waving his fiery candlesticks to the side.

"Who said that?!" Hanji panicked, tightly clutching onto the candelabra, waving it around to get a better look at whoever spoke to her. How was she suppose to know about the object in her hands?

"Ouch, ouch!" Armin hissed, "Miss, please, you are hurting the butler."

And then Hanji finally realized as her gaze scanned upon the candle in her hands. It had _eyes_, it had a _fucking nose_ and _a mouth._ And it was _talking_.

"_Holy shit!"_ Hanji screamed, instinctively throwing the candle down on the floor, but Armin casually hopped back on to his feet, or well, on his little candle base.

Shaking off the dust, Armin giggled again, and Jean jumped off the table to tend to his friend.

"Oh, my God, Armin, you okay?!" Jean asked worriedly, wooden hands groping Armin's candlesticks to check for any damage on his golden arms.

"I'm fine, I'm fine," Armin smiled, and with a clear of his throat, he faces the tall woman in front of them, who was busy pointing at them with a dropped jaw and wide, shocked eyes.

"Hello, hello! Welcome to our castle!"

"Armin, you can't just _welcome_ a stranger in the castle! You don't know what they migh—woah, _woah_!" Jean didn't have the time to scold his friend as Hanji picked him up with both her hands, groping his wooden feet and running her fingers along his glass belly that secured the pendulum inside.

"Wow! How is this accomplished!" Hanji wondered, eyes sparkling in scientific interest.

"Ouch, woman! What the Hell do you think you're doing!" Jean scowled, trying to push her big fingers away from his clock with his hands. "This is sexual harassment!"

Armin laughs.

"This is incredible! I've never seen anything like this in my life!" Hanji beamed, still toying with a few cogs at Jean's back.

"Don't remove those, I won't be able to walk later, damn woman!" Jean struggled like a fish out of water, and Hanji's chuckle echoes throughout the empty castle halls. She finally lets the little clock go, and Jean scrambles behind Armin, who was confident enough to speak once more.

"Oh, miss! You are soaked to the bone! Please come, warm yourself by the fire!" Armin smiled, happily showing Hanji the way into the castle, toward a big room with a warm fireplace by the end, and a neat, soft armchair. If Jean could, his face would've lose all its color in sheer terror.

"No, no, no, no, no!" He hissed at Armin by the door of the wide living room, "Do you _know_ what would happen to us if the Master finds out about this?! Do you have a death wish, Armin! Kick this woman out at once!"

But Armin had already taken the woman to the armchair, their _Master's _chair, and she sat down without a second thought, smiling down at the crackling fire.

"No, no, not the Master's chair! Armin, you're crazy!" Jean was on the verge of tears, but Armin had waved a dismissive candlestick at him.

And as if things couldn't get anymore worse than this, Jean watches as their pet footstool, Cookie, rushes into the living room out of nowhere to tend to their unwanted guest.

"Cookie, _no! _Bad footstool, bad!" Jean pointed an angry finger at the footstool who lifted Hanji's feet up, and the woman laughs at the kind gesture.

"Good boy!" Hanji grinned, patting the footstool at its side.

"Fuck, this is _not_ going well!" Jean panicked.

"Oh, calm down, Mr. Clock." Armin rolled his eyes, "She's no threat, she's our guest! You shouldn't be rude!" and with that, the candle looks up at Hanji, "My apologies, miss, you can stay for the night."

"Oh, why thank you little talking candle!" and as Hanji shifts into the armchair, she released a calm sigh, almost missing the silver teacart that rushed into the room and parked by her side.

"Miss, would you like some tea?" A teapot, _a fucking teapot_, asked Hanji. It was a round, pearly little teapot with captivating dark eyes and a velvet red ribbon was tied around the handle. And she had little tea set minions standing beside her.

"Oh, sure." Hanji nodded, watching as the objects made her tea buy moving atop the teacart.

"Connie, stop moving. I'm pouring tea, can't you see?" The teapot scolded the jumpy teacup beside her as she poured some tea into the cup.

"Mikasa, it _tickles_." Connie the teacup whined.

Hanji couldn't help but laugh again. _Such brilliant inventions!_ she thought.

Scrambling towards Armin, Jean tugs him close, still angrily pointing at Mikasa and Connie atop the teacart.

"No, no! No tea!" he scolded, but he was too late as he watched Connie hop onto Hanji's inviting hand. She takes a sip, listening to Connie's giggles.

"Dude, that tickles!" grinned Connie into the young lady's hand, and Mikasa smiles.

"Is the tea okay, miss? Perhaps you would like more sugar?"

"Oh, no! It's wonderful!" Hanji beamed, warmed up by both the fire and their service.

But as she was about to take another long sip, the door of the living room slams wide open, scarring the pristine wall behind it as a strong gust of wind dances through the room, extinguishing the fireplace as well as Armin's flames. Armin shivers in realization, and Jean hides behind his friend. Connie hops out from Hanji's trembling hands in a rush, standing beside Mikasa, who seemed rather unfazed with the situation.

"Uh oh," said little Connie, looking up at Mikasa who stared blankly at the dangerous figure standing by the door. It was none other than their Master, the _Beast_ of this castle.

His long messy brown hair mostly covered his two dark horns sticking out on the front of his skull, and his ears were stretched long, twitching sensitively at every tiny sound. His forest green eyes glow in the dark and they narrow in quiet rage, and he crouches low onto the floor in defense, letting his sharp claws scrape lightly over the marbled floor.

Said Beast bares his sharp teeth as he glanced around, venturing through the now dark room on all fours, his fluffy tail swishing from side to side.

"There's a _stranger_ here, I can smell them." His voice echoes poisonously, and Hanji stiffens on the chair, cold sweat running down her forehead as she dares _not_ to look behind.

With gathered courage, Armin speaks up, "Master Eren, please let me explain! The young lady was lost in the woods, and she was cold and wet an—!"

The Beast lets out an angry growl, drowning out Armin's attempts of explaining, as he stood tall on his two strong legs and stepped into Hanji's view in a flash.

"Master please, don't—!" Jean tried as well, but their Master ignored their pleas.

"Who the _fuck_ are you?!" Eren the Beast howls at Hanji, " And what are you doing here?!" but Hanji was too stiff to answer immediately, and her fingers ball over the fabric of the armchair she clutched on a tad bit too tightly.

"I—I, uhm!" she started, "I was lost in the woods, and I—"

"_You_ are not welcome here!" the Beast interrupted, pointing with a sharp claw of his finger.

Hanji yelped, flinching when the Beast moves forward, "I'm sorry! I'm so sorry!" she tried, eyes wide and focused on the Beast's face that scowled right back at her.

"What are you staring at?" Eren growled once more, trapping the poor young woman in his own chair by clawing at both its armrests, and he dips his face lower for the other to get a better look. His monstrous behavior erased all traces of Humanity in him, despite him still keeping a few humanistic features, like his body, or his face.

There was nothing human about him anymore. Not Eren, not this beast.

"So, you've come to stare at the beast, have you?!"

"Please, I meant no harm!" Hanji cried, and the castle's servants gasp in shock.

"Master Eren, please!" Armin begged, feeling Jean's trembling hand wrap around his candlestick. They all feared the Master might have the intentions of killing the poor woman.

"Master, stop!" Mikasa bit, but not harshly, and the little teacup, Connie, could do nothing but tremble behind the teapot.

"I—I was just looking for a place to stay, and—_gah_!" cried Hanji, suddenly disrupted by a dangerous grip around her thin wrist and a poison dripping growl.

"I'll fucking give you a place to _stay_!" The Beast barked loudly, abruptly hoisting Hanji up and over his muscled shoulder, quickly scrambling out of the wide living room and leaving the rest behind in the dark. Despite the servants' desperate calls, they were ignored.

Eren the Beast takes Hanji up to the high tower where the prison cells of the castle are located, locking her into the widest one that had nothing but a stone window, dust and dirt.

"Stay and rot there, intruder! You shouldn't have come here!" Eren yelled, pointing at his prisoner from the other side of the cell door before disappearing into the darkness.

Hanji shook and cried her frightened heart out at the corner of the cell, curling herself up in exhaustion and fear. _It was scary_, she thought, the beast was scary and cruel and _fucked up_.

Suddenly, the hungry wolves outside the castle didn't sound as terrifying as Hanji once thought.

**X**

Back in the village, in the latest cold hours of the night, Levi accidentally drops a teacup on his kitchen floor when a sudden thunder strikes over his roof and rain pours angrily above the town. Black tea pools on his floor.

But before cleaning up, Levi curiously glances out the window beside him, and a thought strucks his mind out of the blue. He couldn't help but mutter worriedly to himself as he watched a single raindrop trail down his window pane.

"Hanji."

* * *

**A/N: Alright, I'm in quite a dilemma here at the moment. I'm not sure if I should continue this story at all, like I said, I wrote this on a whim. I just thought that it would be a waste to not post it and leave it untouched in my folders, especially since I spent whole day writing it. I had a lot of fun writing this, however, but I still have my other story to worry about too, and I'm not going well with early updates. Yup, I'm one of those people.**

**So, _please_, encourage me to continue this by dropping a review/follow/fave/cookie-anything! I'm sure it'll definitely fire me up and keep my hands writing!**

**Also, before leaving, kudos to those who are just as inlove with _Beauty and the Beast_ as I am. Peace.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Alright, alright! You guys convinced me enough! Thank you so much for the encouragement, the faves and follows! I decided I might as well finish what I started.**

**Hope you enjoy more of this weirdness, because I'm loving it so far!**

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_Chapter 2._

"Oh, boy! Levi's going to get the surprise of his life, huh?" Bertolt giggled childishly, hiding behind green thick bushes, though not as discreetly as he imagined, since the man was as tall as the apple tree beside him.

Reiner, who was adjusting the silly red suit he was wearing, smirked widely as he confidently pointed toward Levi's house a few yards away, sunbeams bathing over its roof. "Fuck yes, this is his lucky day."

The two laughed victoriously. They had set up a dinner table right across from Levi's comfy little house, where a red rose stood on top in a glass vase. Reiner thought it was a perfect idea to eat together and strengthen their romantic bond, at least that's what he planned. With that punch he'd taken yesterday morning, Reiner fell head over heels even _more_ for the raven. His strength was just _too_ attractive, Reiner thought.

"I'm telling you, Bert, with this—" he pointed the well made table with the French Cuisine, "—Levi will definitely fall for me!" and Bertolt nodded in excitement.

"I'm sure he will, Reiner!" and with a clap of his big hands, Bert pushes himself out of his little hideout and stands next to his friend, "I'll create the mood with some music then!" and before Reiner could respond, Bert scrambled away to get his favorite violin he always played when they were kids.

Reiner rolled his eyes, he couldn't care less about the mood with music at all. He just wanted Levi, and he wanted him _now_. Deep inside, he knew and believed that Levi felt the same way, he just needed a little.. _convincing_.

With renewed confidence, Reiner straightens himself, adjusts his black tie around his neck one last time and advances over to Levi's doorstep, ringing his doorbell at least twice, or well, as many times he needed to for Levi to answer the door. He knew Levi's weird _and/or_ crazy friend, Hanji, wasn't there, so today was the perfect day to win Levi's heart without any interruptions.

Finally, the door is answered, revealing a scowling Levi, his beautiful grey piercing eyes studying the intruder outside his door.

"Reiner. What a shitty surprise."

Reiner laughs, deep and controlled as he rudely lets himself in, pushing Levi to the side to step inside the living room. "Isn't it though? I'm generally full of surprises." He pauses to grin down at the shorter man, and he stops right by a mirror to check himself out. Levi rolled his eyes.

"You know, Levi, there is not one person in town who wouldn't love to be in your shoes right now." And he wiggles his thick eyebrows at Levi.

"Oh, please do tell me why?" Levi returned, sarcasm coloring his voice. He had left his door open, kind of like a silent invitation for Reiner to _get the fuck out of my house_. But Reiner didn't seem to get the message.

"Oh, but today is your lucky day!" Reiner pointed, "It's the day you'll finally fall for me! Your dreams are coming true."

"The fuck do you know about my _dreams_, shit-for-brains?"

"_Pff,_" Reiner snorted, waving a dismissive hand, "I know plenty. Here, why don't you picture this;" and with his muddy boots, Reiner shamelessly hops onto Levi's couch, towering the shorter male who's scowl only seemed to deepen by his childish actions.

Reiner strikes a dramatic pose as he spoke, "A rustic hunting lodge, my latest kill roasting in the fire," he grinned toothily, "And my little _wife _massaging my feet—" Levi almost choked in disgust, "—while the little ones play with the dogs."

Levi's foot twitched automatically beneath him, and if it had a mind of its own, Reiner would've lost his head by a very, _very_ powerful kick, but Levi's common sense was stronger than his inner murderous intent, so he calms himself with an angry sigh. His eyebrows remain knitted down, and his arms are folded over his chest, stiff and fidgeting. Why'd he let this _idiot_ in his house again? Oh, right. _He didn't._

With another laugh, Reiner continues, "Of course, we'll have six or seven."

"Dogs?" was Levi's fast reply, but he regrets it the second Reiner's expression turned from cocky to shocked.

"No, Levi!" he returns in disbelief, and he jumps off from Levi's couch, daring to step closer, "Strapping boys! Like _me_." And he beats his own muscled chest to make his point.

"For the sake of Humanity, don't fucking reproduce." It was above a whisper, but it was an insult nonetheless, though Reiner took it light heartedly as he greedily tosses an arm around Levi's shoulder to pull him closer.

Levi shudders in disgust, but visibly keeps up an unimpressed scowl.

"And you know who the wife will be, hm?"

"I hope it's your hand—that's the farthest you'll ever go with marriage." Levi bites, and he was about to shove the other away when Reiner suddenly traps him against a wall.

"_You_, Levi." And he was too close, already one too many inches right in his private space to a point where he could feel his breath ghost over his forehead as Reiner sinks his head low with a hunter's grin.

"You speechless?" Reiner's eyebrow shoots up in amusement, and he caresses Levi's shoulder when the man didn't speak.

But Levi regains his composure in seconds, angrily swatting Reiner's hand away before it travels any further up _or _down, quickly escaping towards his still wide open door.

"Yes, Reiner. I'm speechless over the fact of how much of a persistent little fuck you are." He soon responded, feeling Reiner following him from behind, his dirty boots tapping heavily around his hallway.

"So, will you let me have you then?" he sounded cocky, as if he won some kind of game. But Levi knew best.

"My apologies, Reiner, dear." Levi forces a weak smile, turns on his heel and looks up at Reiner who stood before him, "But, you know, I think it's about time—" suddenly, he abruptly snatches Reiner's stupid looking tie, "—you get the _fuck_ out of my face." And with brutal force Reiner never knew Levi possessed, he was effortlessly tossed outside the door where he trips on air and falls face first right into a puddle of mud created by last night's rain just by the stone steps, dirtying his red suit and ruining his blond hair.

The door behind him slams shut, but only right after Levi spat his last words warningly, "Unless you want a rake shoved up your ass, stay the fuck outside, you selfish prick."

So yes, Reiner was _hurt_, or rather, his pride and dignity was _in pain_. _Shit_, and this was a fucking expensive suit he was wearing, too.

And by the time he lifts his face off the muddy puddle, Bertolt was running to his aid, violin in hand and worried eyes.

"Holy Hell, Reiner, what _happened_?!" Bert reaches a comforting hand, wiping away a little bit of mud off from Reiner's cheek. But Reiner wanted none of that, and he pushes his friend's hand away to properly stand up straight and adjust his already ruined clothes in rage.

"Levi belongs to _me_, make no mistake about that!" he scoffed, spat on the ground right next to Bert's worn out shoes and stubbornly stomped away. French Cuisine and roses be damned!

**X**

The back door of his house swings open a minute later, and Levi stomps out of his house and into his little garden in mute anger, tightly clutching onto his silver watering can and adjusting the green cloak around his shoulders he wore before stepping outside. Water sloshed from side to side inside the tool as he walked over to his little flowers, silently fuming over his recent unwanted guest.

Levi thought that watering his plants would be a good distraction from his anger that boiled within him, but so far it was no good.

"Can you believe this _shit_?" Levi grumbled, tilting the can down to spray his flowers gently. The rain was heavy yesterday night, watering his plants was really unnecessary, but he had nothing else in mind that would keep him from strangling the next person his eyes catches. So, he tends to his garden, slowly and gently, but his hands shake.

"Asking me to be his little plaything, that walking testosterone, massive fuck." And here Levi was, talking to his flowers like a loner, and he almost wished Hanji was here at the moment, because he _really_ needed a distraction.

"_Me_? Being together with that boorish, _brainless_ man? I'd rather eat my own hand."

Reiner had done a good plenty of things that did nothing to impress Levi, and he sure keeps biting off more than he can chew, it annoyed Levi to no end. Why can't he just take a _no_ like a proper man, grow some balls and find someone else?

Apparently, Levi will never know the answer.

And then Reiner goes on about his _dreams_, dreams that Levi knew Reiner cannot accomplish for him, not with his selfish attitude and brainless head. How could he know about Levi's dreams? How could anyone know, that he wanted more than this provincial life?

Just as Levi let out an exhausted sigh, he lets go of his watering tool and dusts off his hands. He was ready to get back inside and clean off those muddy boot tracks Reiner left all over his hallway(_even on his couch, God damn it!)_, but a sudden sound in the distance causes him to flinch.

It was a horse, running scared across the fields just a little further from his house, carrying a wagon that seemed too damaged to be used. Levi squinted his eyes suspiciously at the animal and—

It was Bean.

"What the.." he managed, and his heart raced worriedly when Hanji was nowhere to be seen. His throat goes dry and his eyes widen in fear. His feet kick up on their own, and before Levi knew it, he was running toward his friend's horse, calling its name. Bean bucks, whines and scatters about the field, and Levi extends his arms up to try and calm him down.

"Bean! Calm down!" Levi tried, "What happened, boy? What are you doing here?" but the panic in the horse's eyes is visible, and Bean kicks his feet up uneasily.

"Woah, easy there." he warned as Bean's nostrils flared, but the animal seemed to relax more upon finally acknowledging Levi's presence. Cautiously, Levi patted the side of Bean's jaw, and he eyes the damaged wagon behind which carried Hanji's machine.

"Bean, where's Hanji? Where is she, boy?" he questioned, fingers trembling against the horse's jaw in worry. Bean seemed to understand his owner's name, and he shakes his head lightly, shrugging Levi's hand away in the process.

"You know where she is? Can you take me to her, Bean? Come on," Levi masks the panic of Bean in his own grey steel eyes, fearing the worse for his childhood friend. In an instant, he walks over to the wagon and unhitches it from the horse, only to hop on top and tug on the reins, though not forcefully, afraid of freightening him further.

"Come on, please take me to her." He pleaded softly, forgetting everything else. He had completely forgotten about Reiner and his stupid antics. He didn't care about his unlocked house, or the muddy stains on his couch and hallway.

When Bean let out a determined huff and broke into a run toward the opposite side of the town, Levi didn't care about anything else but Hanji.

**X**

The ride was messy, but fast, and Levi encourages Bean with a praise when he takes on mysterious paths Levi's never seen before. He's only ever traveled to the fair with Hanji once, but he doesn't remember the route they currently rode on. As they pass through uneven grounds, a shudder hits him hard.

They pass by dead trees and dry grounds, and Levi frowns when snow suddenly falls above their heads, strange as it was. Where were they? He couldn't help but ask himself.

Bean's feet are mechanically uneven as he rode on dried leaves and heavy snow, but the horse was determined enough to continue on his path, and his long brown tail swings with adrenaline.

The icy wind that follows stings Levi's face, and his knuckles are white around the reins, but his mind can only focus on Hanji, hoping to whatever Gods that show mercy that Hanji was safe. It was all that mattered.

He lets out icy breaths with every gallop, and he crouches low to shield himself from the sudden cold, but an abrupt gasp crawls from his throat when he finally saw it. The Castle.

It appeared in his view out of thin air, but its structure was massive behind its gates.

"What the _fuck_." He gaped when Bean slows to a stop right by the tall gates that separated the both of them from the castle. The snow fell harder here, and the winds almost shoved him to the side when he jumps off the horse.

Instinctively, he readjusts his cloak and wears the hood over his head as he approached the gates that were already slightly ajar. Bean followed uneasily from behind.

"Are you really in there, Hanji?" his mumbled doubt was drowned out by the winds, and he takes his words back when his eyes catch the black of Hanji's glasses laying on the ground. He gasped.

His fists are tight by his sides, and with gathered courage, Levi pushes the gates and walks through, running toward the mysterious looking castle right after picking Hanji's glasses.

**X**

Back on the same sleeping table, Armin and Jean found themselves bickering once more.

"You couldn't keep quiet, could you? You just _had_ to invite her in, serve her some tea, sit in the Master's chair, _pet the damn pooch_." Jean groaned, pointing a scolding finger at his friend.

Armin rolled his eyes, adjusting his candlestick's flames to a lower fire, "I was only trying to be hospitable, you don't need to—"

A knock on the door had both their attentions turning, and their eyes grow wide like plates as a hooded, short man enters the castle with a visible frown. When the door clicks close behind him, the halls bathe in darkness, save for Armin's flickering light.

"Fuck, it's dark in here," the two heard the short man say, and Jean examines the stranger suspiciously.

"_Another_ one?!" Jean hissed quietly, but he received no response from the candelabra as Armin hops down onto the marbled floor and follows the man around in odd fascination.

"Holy shit, Armin, where are you going?!" Jean called, but it falls on deaf ears. The man stops in the middle of the grand hallway of the castle as he contemplates the dark area, and his feet pick up their pace once more as he slowly walked up a flight of stairs that led toward the high tower.

Jean's teeth are gritting in fear, and he hops down to tail the man from behind along with Armin.

"He mustn't go up there, Armin! We have to stop him!" he hissed into the butler's ears, but Armin hushes him with a frown.

"Wait, keep quiet for a second. There's something _odd_ about this man."

When the stranger stops on the second floor that led to a cobbled hallway, his dark grey eyes studies his surroundings cautiously, but he misses the little objects running around his feet and discreetly pushing a single door open, right to the man's left.

The hooded stranger scowls suspiciously, but he follows the new path given to him and enters through the door. Surprisingly, there were another set of stairs.

"Why the fuck are you leading him up the tower?!" Jean panicked, pulling Armin away from the stairs before he could hop away.

"Damn it, Jean, just _trust_ me!" Armin whispered, smacking Jean's wooden hand away.

"Last time I did, we pissed Master Eren off and shat in our pants!"

"We aren't wearing any pants, Jean. Now, be silent." Armin shushed, still determined to follow the man all the way up the tower.

And when they finally reached the highest level, Armin listens as the man gasps in shock when he found their prisoner inside the cell.

"Hanji!" the stranger called, and Hanji immediately scrambles up to the man, reaching her arms through the heavy cell bars, clutching onto his cloak.

"Hanji, what happened—who the fuck did this to you, why are you locked up in here?" a series of unanswered questions left the man's lips as he took Hanji's hands into his grip, feeling her cold fingertips scraping in his palms.

"Levi, what are you _doing_ here! How did you find me?"

"Scratch that, I have to get you out of here—"

"No, no—there's no time," Hanji cut him off with a shake of her head, "Listen, Levi, you must leave this place."

"The fuck is that supposed to mean!" the man, Levi, suddenly yells in distress, and he shakes the bars of the cell door to no avail. In the corner of the wide room in the tower, Armin and Jean could do nothing but watch, and the clock cusses in whispers. The candelabra's fire dies out.

"Levi, there's no time to explain—_please!_ Just go!" tried Hanji, and her cheeks stain once more with warm tears. "I'll be fine, I promise, just run!"

"Fuck, Hanji. I'm not leaving without you, _shit!_" Levi cursed under his breath, and tugs on the bars forcefully in a final attempt to get her out of there. But the door doesn't budge, it doesn't move and Levi was desperate.

And just as he was about to curse loudly once more, he felt a violent tug over his shoulder, a tug that quickly whipped him around in a blur, shoving him up against the cell's surface in the process. He groaned in pain that bit his back, and he screwed his eyes shut with a gasp.

"Oh my God, _Levi!_" Hanji cried worriedly from the other side.

"Who do you think you are, walking around my castle?!" Levi heard an inhuman growl, and with a dazed head, his eyes fly open. A crack through the ceiling leaves a flooding light to pool around the stone floors, but behind the shadows hides something that Levi couldn't identify.

He could hear Hanji yelling, "Levi, _run!_"

With a flinch, Levi jolts back up on his feet alarmingly, taking a defensive stance when his gaze falls upon a tall figure in the corner.

"Who the fuck are you?" Levi spat, pain already forgotten.

"I'm the Master of this castle. You have no right to be here, stranger!" another growl.

"I've come for my friend," Levi explained calmly, "Let her out before I knock a teeth out of you."

The tall figure shook in anger, but Levi doesn't budge, and his scowl deepens.

"You dare insult _me_?"

"I do what I fucking want. Now get her out of there!" Levi yelled, already low on patience. There was another threat mixed with an insult right on the tip of his tongue, but before Levi could speak, the figure howls loudly, like an angry, hungry wolf.

"_Never!_ She's my prisoner!"

By now, Levi could hear Hanji's hands desperately shaking the bars behind him, screaming at him to _just fucking run!,_ and for the second time that day, he calms himself with a steady sigh. He isn't going anywhere, he decided, not until Hanji's released from that cell.

He steps forward, avoiding the light that flooded through the lining crack above, and with an honest tone, he fixed a confident stare at the Master of this castle.

"Hanji is no prisoner," he started with a loud exhale, "Release her. _Replace_ her." It wasn't a request, it was more of a demand, _an order_.

When the figure finally moved, he approached Levi with warning growl, and he doesn't hesitate at all when he decided to step into the light, revealing his monstrous form. His bright green eyes are focused on the short man before him, and he bares his sharp teeth in a silent threat.

Levi doesn't flinch at the sight of the Beast however, but his eyes twitch as a string of emotions washed over those solid grey eyes. Surprise, disbelief, _awe_.

"Replace her, you say?" the Master's voice is low, "With _who_, smartass?"

"Take me instead." He wasn't hesitant, and his reply was quick, slicing through the air and causing the Beast's ears to twitch in interest.

Hanji cried out in disagreement, but Levi ignored her calls.

Strangely, Levi's response surprised the Beast, and his sharp green eyes grow wide, if only for a second.

"You.. would willingly take her place?" he sounded unsure, but Levi is quick.

"Yes, I'll stay, and she goes. I promise I'll stay for as long as you please."

"_Fuck no!_ Levi, please!" Hanji was trembling, she wasn't sure if it was from the cold coming in through the open window or from clear fear.

"Step into the light, let me see you!" the Beast commands, and he impatiently waits as Levi does what he was told, pushing his green hood away, revealing his well did undercut and intimidating glare.

The Beast can only stare, but he responds soon after.

"Do you really promise to stay?"

"Yes," Levi nodded cautiously, "You have my word."

"Done!" howled the Beast, and he shoves past Levi to hurriedly unlock the cell door, dragging Hanji out.

Hanji resisted, rushing over to Levi and grabbing on his shoulders.

"Levi, you don't know what you're doing! Please, you don't have to do this—"

"Hanji!" Levi cut her off with an icy tone, grabbing her panicking hands and squeezing them with all the assurance he could offer, "Trust me." He said in a solid mutter, "_Trust me._"

Although Hanji stubbornly shook her head, she touched her forehead gently against Levi's own, a final affection between the two.

"Please, Levi, _please. _Be careful."

They both could say nothing more as Hanji was violently pulled away from Levi's grip, and the Beast of this castle takes her away with a growl, out of this castle and out of Levi's life forever.

And Levi cannot protest as he looked at Hanji's crying face for the last time. He cannot resist at all when she's dragged away, out of sight and into the dark shadows of the staircase, pulled away by the Master of this castle.

After all, he has no right, because starting today, Levi is nothing but a prisoner of a Beast with glowing, green eyes.

…

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**I admit, this chapter was rushed and a little messy. I've proofread it once, though I feel like there are still a few mistakes, so sorry about that.**

**I really appreciate your support, guys! Thanks again! Updates might take a while, but I'm not giving up on this story, I promise. I'll try my best!**

**See you in the next chapter!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Besides, what's a Disney movie without a **_**song**_**? **

**Enjoy!**

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_Chapter 3._

Through the snowy blizzard, the small town is engulfed in pure white, and as the townsfolk fall asleep, their tavern celebrates a night with glasses of beer and cheery laughs.

All but Reiner.

By the fire, he sat fuming, and his beer was untouched and already going warm on the round, wooden table. Its surface meets Reiner's angry fists as he scowled at the drunken crowd before him, dancing and cheering like there was no tomorrow.

He was angry, that much was obvious, and his trusty companion, Bertolt, couldn't figure out why Reiner was so down. But the minute the buffed blond speaks, Bert pieces everything together.

"Who does he think he is?" Reiner sulked, "Levi has tangled with the wrong man! _No one_ says 'no' to Reiner!"

"Damn right!" Bert agreed, squirming on the chair he sat on that was just too small for him.

But Reiner's little fit didn't stop there. "Dismissed, rejected. Publicly humiliated! Why, it's more than I can bear!" and like a stubborn child, he turns his chair away from his friend, looking at the angry flames of the fireplace a little further away.

Bert sighed, "Come on, Reiner. Don't be like that. Would you like some beer?"

"What for? Nothing helps! I'm disgraced.."

Bert laughs, "Who, you? Never! Reiner, you have to pull yourself together!" he said, standing up to walk in front of Reiner. He knelt down and playfully ruffled his hair, though Reiner wanted none of that and brushed his hands away.

"Gosh, I can't see you like this," Bert smiled, meeting his friend's gaze, "It makes me sad. Cheer up, okay?"

"Why should I!" Reiner groaned, "Levi should know what's best for him, and that's _me!_"

Bert laughed again, "Of course! You are the best, but he just doesn't see it yet! Patience, Reiner! Levi will eventually understand and fall for you."

And as he stood up once more, Bert turned toward the drunken crowd and lifted his own glass of beer in the air.

"Aren't I right, guys?" he yelled for all to hear, and the people in the tavern crane their necks to look at the tall man.

"Reiner's the best! No one's better than him, no one hunts like him!" Bert started, and the crowd cheers.

"No one's as strong as him!" one crony sing sang.

"No one's as handsome as him!" another one yells along, and all this causes Reiner to smile as these words stroke his ego finely. And with his depression finally forgotten, he stands up from his chair and grabs on his glass of beer, uncaring if it wasn't as cold as from when he first got it.

"Thank you, thank you! Your words are kind!" he grinned, taking a good long gulp of his drink.

But when the crowd cheers once more, the creaky doors of the tavern swings open violently, revealing a cold, shaking Hanji.

"Oh? The crazy inventor?" Reiner idly asked, resting his half empty glass back down on the table. He was about to welcome the woman with a sarcastic smirk, but she flails her arms in the air and cries for help.

"Help! Someone, please help me!" she pleaded, shaking people's shoulders as she scrambled from one man to another. Reiner blinked at the sight.

"He's got him! He's got him locked in a filthy dungeon, you've got to help me!" she cried, eyes red and teary.

"Who?" Bert asked curiously.

"_Levi_!" she finally yelled, grabbing Reiner's attention, "We must hurry! Not a minute to lose!"

And Reiner laughed at her insanity, stomping across the tavern and swinging a loose arm around her shoulders to keep her from shaking like a leaf.

"Woah, woah! Slow down, Hanji. Who's got Levi locked in a dungeon?" he could hardly believe anyone would do such a thing to Levi, and he just knew Hanji was out of it.

"A beast, I tell you! A horrible, monstrous beast!" she described, pleading one man after another of her case, but the old cronies laugh and mock her stupidly at her crying face.

"Ha! Is it a big beast, with a long and ugly snout?" a drunk asked with a grin.

"_Huge!_ And hideously ugly!" she nodded, eyes sparkling when they finally acknowledged her.

"What about sharp, cruel fangs?" another one mocked.

"Yes, yes! All those things! Please, will you help me?" she smiled hopefully, but the men crowding over her still laughed and pitied whatever sanity was left inside of her head.

"Sure, sure. We'll help you out, Miss Inventor." A fat man with yellow teeth smirked, and he grabbed her arm.

"Will you? Thank you, thank you!" Hanji said, but a second later, the fat man throws her out of the tavern with a push of his meaty hands, right before warning her to never come again. Reiner laughed at the scene, inertly calling Hanji a pathetic young woman, and Bert went along with it.

But he stopped laughing abruptly, and his eyes widens when a little _something_ struck his mind. He smirked evilly, turning to Bert and pulling him close by the collar of his green shirt.

"Bert! I'm afraid I've been thinking," he started, and Bert's eyes sparked enthusiastically.

"That wacky woman is Levi's friend, you see? But her sanity's so-so." He explained, "See, I've promised myself I'd marry Levi, and now I came up with a plan!"

"Oh, boy! Tell me!" Bert snickered, innocent smile playing across his face.

And so, Reiner's schemes are revealed, and as Bertolt laughs approvingly, they both dance the night away, with beer in hand and an evil plan.

**X**

Back in the castle, Levi was surprised that the Beast didn't keep him in the dirty tower. Instead, he guided him toward a wide, fancy room with a big bed at the center of it, and other furniture that were still too little to fill up the entire room. Only then did he realize that the whole castle was enchanted when a teacart unlocked his doors and rolled straight toward him.

"What the _fuck_." Was Levi's comment when a small teapot asked him if he wanted tea. The teapot wasn't amused.

"Sir, I appreciate it if you wouldn't use such language." She said with puffed cheeks, but poured tea for him anyways. Sitting on the bed, Levi scoffed at the teapot, not accepting the warm beverage.

"I'm not drinking tea out of a live cup that shakes so much. He might spill on my damn clothes." He says, pointing at the squirming cup that just wouldn't stand still.

"I'm sorry, Sir." The little cup smiled, "It's just that it's been so long since I've seen a man!"

"Oh, Connie, shh!" the teapot scolded, hopping around the teacart.

"You guys actually have _names_?" Levi's eyebrow quirked upwards, leaning forward to take a better look at the objects.

The teapot was about to speak, but a creak of the door grabs their attention as a candelabra enters the scene with an odd looking clock. Levi was, no doubt, amused.

"Of course we have names!" the candelabra spoke, voice cheery. Obviously, he overheard their conversation, "We were once humans after all." He sounded sad, even through his smile. But for the sake of serving, he cheers up once more and introduces everyone.

"This is Mikasa, and the clock over here is Jean! I am Armin, one of the many butlers of this castle. I see you've already met little Connie though." He chuckled, "May we ask, what is your name, Sir?"

"Levi," he nodded, "I must say, it's weird talking to objects."

"It takes a little getting used to," Armin agreed, "But I know you'll adapt, Sir Levi!"

Levi rolled his eyes, "Please, just Levi is okay." But he smiled nonetheless. The objects seemed friendlier than the Master. In fact, he actually accepted to drink tea from Connie, even if it was just once.

But right after that, there was a rude knock on the door—or more like heavy fists pounding against the poor surface. It was the Beast.

"You.. Will join me for dinner tonight!" it was a strained roar, hesitant even. Levi looked up at the closed door with narrowed eyes. "That's not a request!" another bark.

"Fuck off," was all Levi said, angrily crossing his arms above his chest. There was another roar, angrier than the last, and heavy padding when the Beast walks away, sounding dejected.

"If you won't eat with me, you don't eat _at all!_" was the last thing Eren said before leaving.

"S-sir! You must join him for dinner!" Armin said with a shake, hopping toward him and flailing his little candlesticks at him.

"Why should I? He's acting like a damn child." Levi countered, eye twitching in annoyance.

"That's because _he is_." Mikasa corrected with a delicate roll of her eyes, and her red ribbon swung idly around her handle. "Even after all these years, he never changes; Always angry."

"What a fucking brat."

Armin laughed nervously. "Yes, and this is why you should join him for dinner. It would calm him down a little, no?"

"I don't fucking want to." It was his final answer, and all objects hang their heads low in defeat.

**X**

Convincing Levi was a little too hard, Armin could admit this much. He was very strict, mostly with a foul mouth and intimidating gaze, but was a very kind man when he wants to be. Armin knew, Levi was _perfect_ for their Master. They both just need to see that.

When he and Jean left their _prisoner's_ room, he hopped towards his Master's quarters for a little talk, though the Beast was acting more stubborn than usual. How could he not? A lot has happened the past couple of days for him to process.

He watched his Master fume, stomping around his messy room and destroying his already broken furniture. Torn up portraits of himself when he was a human, broken tables and other dirty things. Armin would've ordered his trusty brooms to clean the place up, but the Master would just destroy everything again.

"Master Eren, please stop doing that." Armin tried, but Eren growled angrily, throwing a piece of wood right beside Armin, letting it violently hit the wall behind the candle.

"That man is so _difficult!_" the Master confessed with a flail of his arms.

"Yes, I know. But have you stopped once and thought that maybe _he_ could be the one who could, perhaps, break the spell?"

Another flail, "Of course I have! I am not a fool! But he gets on my damn _nerves!_"

"Oh, great! You can fall for him, he can do the same and we can be human again by tomorrow!" Armin hoped, but as he did, Mikasa hops inside the room and with a sigh, she responded for him.

"I'm afraid that isn't so simple," she said with a shake of her head, and Jean agreed with a small nod. "These things take time."

"B-but! The rose has begun to wilt!" Armin shuddered, eyes widening at the thought of the very last petal of the enchanted rose falling onto the ground.

The Beast sighed heavily at Armin's words, and he looks away from his servants and out of his balcony's door, where the stars shined above them and a light wind carries itself inside.

"It's no use," he mumbled through sharp teeth, "He is so.. _Handsome_, and I'm so.. Well, look at me!" and his servants had never seen him so devastated before.

"Oh, but you must make him see past all that, Master." Mikasa smiled.

"But _how_? There is nothing good about me."

Armin grinned, "We can show you how!" and with that, he nears the Master and stands straight. Mikasa and Jean follow next to him.

"First, you can start by making yourself look more presentable! Straighten up, try acting like a gentleman for once!" Mikasa started, and Armin followed.

"Ah yes, and never forget to _smile!_ Go on, show us a lovely smile!"

But the Beast was all sharp teeth when he tried, and Jean almost cringed at the view. At least Eren tried, though.

"Try not to frighten the poor man, though, and impress him with your rapier wit!" Jean continued.

"But be gentle, and shower him with compliments!" Armin said.

"Of course, be sincere," smiled Mikasa, "And above all; Control your temper!"

"_Enough!_" Master Eren growled, annoyed by the so many things he had to do just to impress a person. "You think I can master all this shit in a day? Enough already!" and with a flail of his arm, he accidentally knocks a table away. Splinters scatter the ground, and the table lays destroyed.

His servants sighed in defeat, apologizing in mumbles.

"Leave me alone for the night. I want to rest." Eren ordered, and without another sound, his servants nodded his way and left him alone in his own messy room.

Eren was hot headed and stubborn, he knew that. How can he ever make someone fall for him, with his beastly looks and ugly behavior? It's impossible.

He groaned sadly, and with tired steps, Eren dragged himself toward the balcony, where his enchanted rose hovered inside a glass cover atop a pedestal. He trailed his fingers over the glass, sharp nails scratching the surface as, inside, a single petal falls and withers.

**X**

Inside the kitchen, Mikasa orders the rest of the servants to bed while Armin helped with the cleaning. Jean was complaining to Connie about their new little prisoner as Sasha, their stove and professional chef cook, was boiling potatoes for herself right at the center of the dark kitchen. She always seemed to want to eat snacks during the night, and although it was weird, no one dared ask about her weird habits.

"I can't believe I cooked a whole meal for two, and they end up untouched!" Sasha complained with a huff, adjusting the boiling water on her stove. "My cooking should be praised!"

"Oh hush, you." Mikasa scolded, "It's been a long day, we're all tired."

"Well, if you ask me, they were both acting rather stubborn!" Jean added, tiny wooden arms folded above his glass chest, pendulum ticking inside. Armin laughed, and he rolled his eyes once he was done with cleaning. He hopped onto the counter next to Sasha.

"But, if the Master doesn't learn to control that temper of his, he'll never be able to bre—" Mikasa was interrupted when the kitchen door creaks open, and a daring Levi walks in.

"Oh, no! How'd you escape from your room, Sir?" Armin asked, though he didn't sound too worried, just a little surprised.

"It's useless if you won't lock my door once you're out of my room, you know." Levi smirked, "Anyway, I followed the smell," he was referring to Sasha's potatoes, "and I ended up here."

"Oh, my. Are you hungry, Sir Levi?" Mikasa smiled, approaching Levi.

"Yes. A lot."

Mikasa grins, "People, do you hear that? He's hungry!" she giggled, "Stoke the fire, break out the silver! Wake the china!" and as she says this, a set of servants appear out of thin air. Spoons, plates and forks, all types of silverware wake from their slumber and follow Mikasa from behind.

Sasha's stove roars to life, leaving her potatoes to the side for later. There was a guest to feed now.

But Jean sounds wary when he approaches Mikasa, "Remember what Master Eren said! We can't do this."

Mikasa hushed him, "Oh, pish tosh! I'm not going to let the poor man starve!"

"Fine!" Jean hissed, "Just a glass of water, a crust of bread and—!" but he was disrupted by a jab at his side from Armin's candlestick.

"Dear, Jean! I am surprised at you. He's not our prisoner, he's our _guest!_ We must make him feel welcome here!" and to prove his point, he guides Levi out of the kitchen and into the next room where a wide dining room is, with a long rectangle table for him to sit. "Right this way, Sir!"

Jean could almost sweat at this bad idea, but he goes along warily, "All right, fine! But keep it down! We can't wake the Master, or it'll be our necks!"

Armin chuckles, waving a dismissive candlestick at his friend, "Of course, Jean, we'll be quiet. But, what is dinner without a little.. Music?"

It takes a second for that sentence to sink in, but by the time Jean realizes it, Armin has already led Levi away and a bunch of other silverware made their way into the dining room, clattering on the ground as they hop around. Jean's jaw drops.

In the dining room, Levi is seated on a chair by the table where Armin grabs a spoon and twirls it around with fingerless candlesticks. Levi's gaze softens at the candle, and he smiles when Armin approaches with a hop, and a mysterious light from above sheds over his golden figure.

_Ma chere, Sir! It is with deepest pride, and greatest pleasure that we welcome you tonight!_

A single coat hanger rushes in with a violin in hand as it started playing right beside Levi, who was rather amused with the little show.

_And now, we invite you to relax, let us put up a chair as the dining room proudly presents; Your dinner._

Armin grins as a tiny top hat randomly falls on his little candle head. Clattering sounds filled the backround when little spoons and forks make their way around Levi.

_Be our guest! Be our guest! Put our service to the test!_

_Tie your napkin 'round your neck, Cherie, and we'll provide the rest!_

A napkin flies over to Levi, tying itself around his neck, and Levi almost yelps at the sudden action, but stays still for the objects to continue to entertain him. He decided to undo the napkin around his neck and instead places it on his lap where he pats it lightly.

_Soup du jour, hot hors d'oeuvres, why we only live to serve!_

_Try the grey stuff, it's delicious. Don't believe me? Ask the dishes!_

And as Armin sang, a set of different dishes pass by on the table; soup, sweets and small pastries for Levi to try if so he wished, and with a spoon that was given to him, he tried some of that grey cream that Armin suggested. He smiled at the sweetness tingling his tongue.

_They can sing, they can dance!_

_After all, Sir, this is France!_

_And a dinner here is never second best! Go on, unfold your menu, take a glance and then you'll be our guest, oui our guest. Be our guest!_

A cabinet by the end of the room opens excitedly, revealing a large China collection that rolled out across the wide table and begun to perform along with Armin's song. Levi should've felt weird by all this, but he smiled at the rhythm of the melody that strangely echoes around the dining room.

_Beef ragout! Cheese soufflé! _

_Pie and pudding 'en flambé!'_

_We'll prepare, and serve with flair! A culinary cabaret!_

Plates danced around Levi, and other silverware follow suit as Jean randomly appeared on the table, awkwardly dancing with a forced smile. Levi couldn't help but laugh, a grin forming its way across his usually scowling lips.

_You're alone, and you're scared!_

_But the banquet's all prepared! _

_No one's gloomy, or complaining while the flatware's entertaining!_

_We tell jokes, I do tricks with my fellow candlesticks._

_And it's all in perfect taste that you can bet!_

The flatware enters in a humorous way, and spoons clank against wine glasses and plates that mixes with the song. Armin hopped from one place to another, dancing along with the tilted top hat on his head. More dishes step in and on the table for Levi, warm and delicious.

_Come on and lift your glass, you won your own free pass to be our guest!_

_If you're stressed, it's fine dining we suggest!_

_Be our guest!_

_Be our guest!_

_Be ou—_

"Shut the _Fuck_ up!" a sudden roar echoes through the halls, a beastly growl that frightened most of the servants away from the dining room in a heartbeat. Jean's breath hitches, and he almost gets a heart attack when he realized the Master was awake and heard their little song.

"Everyone, _go the Fuck to sleep!"_ was Master Eren's order, even though he didn't bother entering the room. Everyone knew he was just around the corner, already tired of their shit. Levi appeared shocked at the sudden yell.

The servants follow their Master's orders and scramble away from the dining room, leaving Armin, Jean and Levi behind. The clattering slows to a stop, the spoons and forks, plates and glasses disappear from Levi's view and the room grows dark, and he wouldn't be able to see properly without Armin's candles.

Jean was a shaking mess, and he hit Armin at his side after he made sure that their Master had eventually stomped away from the dining room's door and back to his own quarters.

"Fuck, Armin, I _told_ you this was a shitty idea!"

Armin laughed nervously, rubbing the back of his waxy head with a candlestick. In the end, they couldn't make Levi feel welcome in the castle, nor could they entertain him, or at least feed him. It was kind of a failed try, and so he mumbled a small apology.

"Heh, I apologize, Sir Levi. I guess we couldn't feed you after all." Armin sounded a little rejected, and sad for not being able to do what a servant should do; Serve.

But he was surprised when he heard a snort, and when both Armin and Jean looked up, they watched as Levi's hands curled around himself as the young man tried to contain his childish laughter.

He was _laughing_, and he sounded so genuine, so _happy_. It was an odd sight, coming from a usually serious man like Levi. Armin blinked at him, but hopped closer when the man's laughter slowly died down.

"It's alright," Levi chuckled, catching a single tear with his finger. The objects looked at one another in confusion, but when Levi explained his situation, both of them smiled, relieved.

"It's alright. I'm not hungry anymore."

* * *

**Damn it, Eren! Haha!**

**But, anyway. I know, I took too long to update. But I'm still here, see? I hope you're enjoying this so far! **_**Be our guest**_** was always my favorite song in the movie, I just **_**had**_** to put it in, at least a few of the lyrics! I should've let them sing 'til the very end, but I thought that it would've been more accurate for Eren to interrupt halfway. **

**Reviews are appreciated!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Ha Ha Ha Ha**—**No. ****Nothing's funny about a really, really, **_**really**_** late update. I know and I'm truly, terribly sorry for this. I wouldn't exactly say I have a reason for being absent **_**this **_**long. But, ya know; work, studies, no time—you know where I'm going with this. **

**Forgive me? *offers cookies***

* * *

_Chapter 4._

"Shouldn't we be going to bed by now?" Armin wondered aloud, rubbing his waxy chin with a candle as he stared distractingly away in thought. Jean nervously nodded, glancing Levi's way.

"W-well, the Master _did_ order us to do so, Armin. I think we should call this a day an—"

"How big is this castle?" Levi interrupted, hands in his pockets as they strolled about through the empty halls of the sleeping castle. They haven't been wandering for too long, and the object's initial goal was to guide Levi back to his quarters, as ordered by Master Eren.

Their supposed dinner not too long ago failed epically, but even after a rude scold, they all seemed pretty high spirited. Armin still couldn't believe he got to see Levi laugh so freely like that.

Except for Jean, of course, who always appeared anxious over something at all times. Either that, or he's too much of a scaredy cat.

Armin smiled sweetly, turning to his guest. "Ah, this castle is quite big, you see. Even the servants sometimes can easily get lost in a place as huge as this!"

Jean nodded energetically, clearing his throat. "We could give you a small tour, if you'd like!"

Levi's eyebrow twitched, "Oh? That would be lovely." He said, and as they ventured further down, the halls slowly expanded in size, revealing more doors leading to other small, mysterious rooms. Levi silently looked around, amazed by the peculiar interior design of the castle that surrounded most of its halls. Big, weird human-like creatures carved in stone against the old walls, disfigured bodies and odd facial expressions masking their laughing faces.

These decorative.. _sculptures_ reminded Levi of the tall Giants in the recent book he read, with the Shifter and the Captain. Terrifying wide eyes and stretched out grins. As he looked around, Jean had been talking nonstop about the castle's history as he made a speedy tour while they walk. He talked about its Kings and Queens, and brave Soldiers, he talked about Master Eren.

Levi listened of course, about the previous King falling ill, and the Queen passing after giving birth, about strong soldiers protecting the castle gates when the lonely little Prince of the age of nine had not yet known how to rule a Kingdom. Eren had been a parentless prince for far too long, Levi couldn't help but feel a little bit guilty. No wonder he was so bratty.

Jean talked still as Armin hopped beside him, and Levi listened less and less by the second. His attention was completely drawn away when, by the end of the big hall, a grand staircase is revealed, leading up to the West and East Wing. His feet automatically guided him toward the stairs, and the hushed voices of the objects are drowned out by the silence of the castle as they ventured down a different hall alone, unbeknownst that their guest had left them.

Levi didn't care, and his feet didn't hesitate over the first few steps of the stairs, his narrowed eyes carefully scanning around as he climbed higher. Instinctively, he turned toward the West Wing, and a light mystifying wind rushes through the moaning corridors, as if it was welcoming every sound of his footsteps.

"What an odd place," Levi found himself muttering, though there was a dash of excitement as he explored new grounds. He's never been up here before, and even though this area of the castle looked duller than the rest of it, Levi was willing to know what hides behind these shadowy walls of the West Wing.

The halls felt long, and maybe it was the dark that gave it that effect, but Levi suddenly stops by a wide open door at the end of the corridor. The poor door looked severed, as if it was constantly kicked open, almost hanging off its hinges as huge claw marks decorated its frame. Levi gulped mutely, but gathered the courage to move closer, peeking inside discreetly.

He almost gasped at the scene. He immediately knew whose room this was.

_The Beast's Lair, huh?_

The room was, no doubt, a wrecked mess. As a man against dirt and unsanitary, Levi cringed but felt courageous enough to explore deeper into the room, letting himself in with a calm breath. He passes by a shattered mirror still hanging at an odd angle on the wall, and each of its shards reflect his concerned look. Dust covered the majority of the wide, messy room, and broken pieces of severed furniture lay around like useless garbage. Through the dark it was difficult to see, but there was a balcony with its doors wide open for the moon to cast whatever little bit of light it can through them.

Levi headed toward the balcony, first stopping by a shredded portrait lying uselessly on the dirty floor. He stares intently at it for a moment before deciding to lift and put the shredded pieces together, revealing the picture of the prince, before his monstrous transformation.

"Psh," Levi scoffed at the portrait, "No fucking difference." _Still a damn brat._

By the entrance of the balcony, there is where Levi saw it. A floating rose on a pedestal, secured by a bell jar. His eyes widen at the magical red flower, and he approaches it cautiously, as if he'd be badly hurt if he were not careful enough.

The rose beneath the jar shines when he's close enough, and the temptation to run his fingers over the cold glass was too much, he gave in quickly. There was something eerie and beautiful about the rose, Levi knew, and it was no doubt connected to this whole enchanted castle. The pretty rose drew him in, its petals softly fluttering in the jar.

He was about to lift the jar up, but a big sudden shadow covers him whole as someone steps before him, and Levi swiftly jumps back in defense when an angry growl makes its way through the empty ruined room. The Beast had been here this whole time, and Levi inertly curses himself for not realizing it earlier.

As quickly as he could, Eren covers the jar protectively with his hands, claws stretched out and his teeth bared, tail swishing uncontrollably.

"What the _fuck_ are you doing—why are you _here_!?" he yelled, his green eyes glowing wrathfully. Levi didn't speak, only gritted his teeth as he took a defensive stance in case the beast was ready to pounce. Not that he'd have a good chance of escaping some monster like the Beast.

"You shouldn't have come up here. You're not allowed here!" Eren growled.

"I didn't fucking mean to intrude," Levi spat, but he honestly had no better excuse for almost touching Eren's precious little flower.

"And yet, here you are." Eren sneered, stepping forth and towering over Levi's short frame. With every step he took forward, Levi took backward, alarmed and ready.

"Do you realize what you've done?" Eren roared, hands swiping through broken furniture aggressively, and his scowling expression intimidated Levi, he was actually impressed.

As Eren continued his little tantrum and destroyed more of his furniture, Levi chanced a few more steps back until he reached the exit.

Eren noticed him at the corner of his eye, and with a deep breath, he howls like a wolf.

"Get out! Get the _fuck out of my room!"_

There was no need to be told twice; Levi runs.

* * *

The images of the grinning sculptures haunted his vision as Levi ran past them through the dark lonely halls. His breaths are short and quick, and the sound of his fast beating heart sounded louder than his shoes clicking noisily on the floor. He took a few turns blindly, hoping he'd find the exit of this God forsaken place. On his way, he adjusted his green cloak, pulling the hood over his head as he picked up speed once he found and climbed down the grand staircase.

Down the last steps stood the objects, Armin and Jean, wearing the most worried looks Levi could ever imagine. No doubt, they knew where Levi came from, and it didn't take much for them to realize why Levi was running too.

Levi runs past them, even as Armin spoke.

"S-Sir Levi! Where are you going!" Armin tried to follow, hopping close to Levi.

"Promise or no promise, I can't stay here another minute!" Levi said, still going for the exit that was finally close by.

"Oh no! Wait, p-please!" Jean flailed, his tiny wooden arms trembling while his pendulum shook. But Levi doesn't respond, only exits the castle and slams the door shut, leaving both objects behind to bow their heads down in total sadness.

* * *

Levi was surprised to see that Bean hadn't left the castle either, even after so long left isolated under the heavy snow. He should give this horse some credit. But now was not the time to think, and as he mounted his horse, he didn't spend another second waiting. They galloped away from the castle, and Levi doesn't turn back to look, even as he passed through the black, groaning gates.

_Fuck this place._

Riding through the forest, Levi felt as though the woods were thicker than before, almost _suffocating_. The snow was angrier, the winds merciless. It seems that everything is against him today, and Levi couldn't help but curse under his breath.

With every icy breath that escaped his lungs, he encourages Bean to run faster, no matter the route, provided that it lead _away_ from the castle, everything would be okay. He hadn't known how long he'd been riding through the thick white layers of snow. Maybe hours, or just mere seconds—it was hard to think when his fingers, tight around the reins, numb over the leather he gripped onto. He's never felt this cold in his life, never knew that he _could_ get this cold.

They pass by wet patches of grass, and dead trees, dried out bushes and rocky paths, before suddenly, Bean comes to an abrupt stop. The horse's uneasy pacing confuses Levi as he pulled on the reins, trying to get some control back on the animal. Their heavy breaths pounds in Levi's ears when Bean cries out in worry.

"What's going on, Bean?" he asked, patting the side of his jaw as he leaned close. "Why'd you stop?"

It would've taken more than this little run to tire the horse out completely, so it couldn't have been because Bean was exhausted. The horse responds uneasily, shaking its head and pacing backwards. Levi scowls at the reaction and immediately turns his attention to their surroundings.

At first, there was nothing. Nothing but snow covered trees and angry, dark skies. But Levi knew there was more than that. His eyes pierced through the thick snowflakes falling aggressively on the ground, and even though he couldn't see anything marked off as something bad, he could still sense danger. Was it the Beast? Had he followed them all the way here?

With an annoyed click of his tongue, Levi gently pulls the reins again, causing Bean to turn around—

And that's where Levi was mistaken. The Beast wasn't following them. Wolves were.

"Shit," Levi cussed shakily. They were almost completely surrounded by wolves, maybe six or seven, as they emerged from snow, and bushes. Their paws create subtle patterns on their wake as they advance slowly, their big yellow eyes concentrated on their prey while they growled hungrily under the cold.

Before he knew it, they bark loudly in unison, scaring Bean to a point where he bucked hard, throwing Levi off balance and thus falling on the ground beside the horse.

"Damn it, Bean!" Levi didn't respond fast enough, and as his legs gained back their energy to sit up, the wolves had already advance forward, ready to attack the panicking horse. With yet another cuss, Levi stands, quickly kicking off the first wolf he sees to the side, sending it flying to the side. Another was about to bite off Bean's sides, but this time Levi was quicker.

He hastily elbows the wolf's jaw, causing it to shriek and back away. However a third canine ran up from behind and managed to bite off Levi's cloak in the process, sending the man to the ground with an audible thud.

"Ugh!" Levi grunted, instinctively unhooking the cloak around him with quick fingers before the wolf could drag him away along with his cloak. Bean had been running in circles through sheer panic, running over the fourth wolf that had been in his way. Bean cried out, bucking once more.

"Shit, we have to get out of here!" Levi yelled, as if that would've helped Bean to calm down. His lungs burned from exhaustion, and his limbs trembled from the unforgiving cold. His lips were chapped and dry as he felt his fingers tremble at his sides. They surely wouldn't last for too long out here.

If the wolves weren't successful in killing them, the cold would instantly wipe them out.

A strong wind dances over them, pushing Levi back on the ground, who was already too weak to keep himself up. With an effortful arm over his face, he tries to cover from the icy wind, unaware of the daring wolf approaching him with a hunter's gaze. Even if he had seen the wolf, it was already too late to fend for himself. The wolf had the advantage, and Levi cursed out loud.

And just like that, the wolf broke into an aggressive run towards him. Scowling, Levi doesn't even bother to close his eyes, even admitting defeat with a tired sigh.

The wolf jumps gracefully, ready to pounce on his defeated prey—

Only to be sent flying to the side, hitting the nearest tree with a loud _crack!_

Levi gasped, eyes growing wide in realization. "_Eren?_" his voice is broken, and the sound of the Beast's name echoes through the woods. Eren appeared out of thin air, roaring dangerously when he literally punched the wolf mid-air.

Levi scrambled back, "What the fuck are you doing here!" he yelled, eyes unfocused on the Beast.

But Eren does not reply as he fought his own battle with the last remaining wolves that dare to attack him all at once. The enemy manages to rip a deep wound on Eren's right arm, and he howls in intense pain as the rest of the wolves bark wrathfully, biting wherever they could reach. They tried to attack at the same spot on his arm, but Eren was quicker, grabbing one of the wolves' nape with a muscled hand and snapping it's front legs with a loud crunch. The wolf cried, desperate to escape death's grip, but the Beast squeezes his hand over its neck before throwing it useless further away, and letting it hit on a rock.

After the violent action, the rest of the wolves scrambled away in fear, crying and howling cowardly.

Levi's breath hitches, calling the Beast's name once more, and yet as Eren approached Levi, he merely collapses on the cold ground. His pure, green eyes despairingly meet with Levi's own, whom are strangely clouded with surprise, and _worry_.

Before Eren's world faded out, he could hear Levi cursing in mutters.

"Goddamned _brat_!" Levi hissed, and weakly sat up to calm Bean down, who still looked panicked and fidgety, but not as frightened. His first thought was to hop onto his horse and ride away once more..

But his conscience takes over almost instantly. His teeth catches the flesh of his lower lip in thought, and as he glanced back at the fallen Beast, his fists clench. Eren saved his life. He doesn't deserve to be left alone in the cold with such a wound, Beast or not.

And so with whatever strength he had in him, he manages to hoist the Beast up on Bean, and take him back to the castle.

* * *

The objects were surprised, to say the least, about the fact that Levi actually returned back into the castle willingly. When Master Eren had finally woken up, right by the fireplace in his den, he grumpily ignored Levi's questions about why he even went through the trouble of searching for him, or even yet _save_ him. The teapot, Mikasa, shared amused glances with Armin who giggled at little argument between their Master and their guest.

They were in the middle of patching Eren's wounds up, but it was way easier said than done. Eren acted more like a stubborn child, and Levi had no patience over his childish behavior.

Levi held a rag, soaked in warm water given by Mikasa, as he desperately tried to clean Eren's wounds. He scolded the Beast when he noticed Eren literally _licking_ his own wounds like a damn dog, and with a light slap at his shoulder, Levi grunted.

"That is fucking disgusting, you damn brat." He said, bringing the wet rag closer. "Stop fucking doing that, or the wound might get infected."

But the Beast responds with a stubborn shake of his head, shying away from the rag as he covered his wounded arm with his other hand. "No way."

"Just hold still, damn it!" Levi instructs, and as he touches Eren's bloodied arm ever so suddenly with the rag, the Beast roars in pain, causing the objects inside the room to jump back from the sudden outburst.

"That _hurts!_"

Levi countered, "Shitty brat, if you stop squirming like such a pussy, it wouldn't hurt as much."

"Well, if you hadn't ran away, this wouldn't have happened!" Eren bit back, hissing slightly when Levi rubbed the rag over his hurt arm again.

"I wouldn't have done so if you'd simply get rid of that stick up your ass. You frightened me." He said honestly, and this time his hands were more gentle as he patched up Eren's arm.

Eren was about to say something, but it took him a while to think of something to say. "Well, you shouldn't have been in the West Wing." He grumbled.

"And _you_ should learn how to control that temper of yours, brat." Levi says calmly, his grey eyes still focused on his task. Eren was ready to raise a finger to bring out another point, but quickly realized that he had nothing else to say, and with a defeated sigh, he looked away with a childish frown.

Levi inertly smirked. He had won the argument, and the objects around the both of them smile in realization.

_They have finally found someone who has conquered the temper of the Beast!_

"Oi, hold still." Levi mumbled, still feeling whatever bit of resistance coming from the Beast. Eren hisses again, already hating the stinging pain shooting through his arm and up his spine. But Levi's hands were warm around his arm, they were comfortable and oddly smooth. Eren couldn't help but relax to the man's touches as the raven took care of his wound.

He gathered his thoughts properly, and with determination, Eren turns and looks back at Levi to say something, yet Levi speaks first.

"By the way," Levi started, glancing up at the Beast, "Thank you, for saving my life."

For a second, Eren had completely forgotten what he'd initially planned to say as he was caught off-guard by those mysterious steel grey eyes. He was surprised, if only for a second.

Although still grumpy, he nodded in response, and his voice was tender as he replied, "You're welcome."

The objects smile at each other as they watch the scene unfold before them, fully knowing that now, _there may be something there that wasn't there before._

…

* * *

**I **_**did**_** promise I'd continue this story, but I still feel bad for updating so late. Please don't hate me! *offers more cookies***

**I'll try to update the next chapter by the end of this(or the next) week! Hopefully! **

**Until then, thanks for reading.**


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